Kranjska Klobasa (Slovenian Sausage) - I think I've got it pretty close!

webpoppy8 · Apr 4, 2017

I've been cold smoking these for about 50 hours and they look pretty good.

Had a few logistical problems that had me putting the last links in 16 hours after the first.

The first links are small but OK - I just didn't stuff them enough. These also may have had a half hour of hot smoking due to setting the smoker incorrectly.

This morning the first batch had that authentic (I think...!) slightly dry skin with a little bit of excreted powder (salt?). I remember buying some in Cleveland that were like that. @jfsjazz, @dirtworldmike whaddya think?

I hung them in pairs with both ends together, which I thought was the tradition. However, as I checked them this morning, I saw where the links touched at each end was (d'oh!) untouched by the smoke and looks pale and raw. So I've opened them up on the grates and I'll smoke them a few hours more. I suppose the pale spots don't actually mean any problem, any thoughts?

I have the smoker (MasterBuilt electric 30" with cold smoker attachment) set for 75˚.

Started with Beechwood but ran out and used Oak for last 24 hours.

Here's this morning's photo:

2017-04-04_08.26.40.JPG

webpoppy8
Apr 4, 2017

Here's how it was after the last links went in:

2017-04-02_19.32.10.JPG

webpoppy8
Apr 4, 2017

crankybuzzard · Apr 4, 2017

Those look pretty good from here. I had to look up the sausage name to see what all was in it, sounds like a recipe that would be good to make.

How will you do a final cook?

wild west · Apr 4, 2017

Is this the same recipe as the one you used to hot smoke recently

webpoppy8 · Apr 4, 2017

Thank you, @CrankyBuzzard !

The traditional way to cook these is to boil quickly, then simmer. They are not hot-smoked, so you have to cook them.

I will post the recipe once final results are judged by the womenfolk...

webpoppy8 · Apr 4, 2017

@wild west - this is close, but no paprika, and saltpeter instead of Prague powder. Removed garlic from wine soak before mixing with water. Full recipe coming....

crankybuzzard · Apr 4, 2017

Yeah, this is sounding REALLY good now!

tropics · Apr 4, 2017

Looks good from here

Richie

webpoppy8 · Apr 4, 2017

OK I took it out after 59 hours. The aroma is absolutely perfect, to die for! Did a taste test by traditional boil/simmer cooking. Flavor is good, but the texture isn't quite there. I call it "crumbly"; my wife calls it "dry." Of course, not much is dry after boiling. There is definitely enough fat - 25%. Recipe calls for coarse grind of lean shoulder. I ground the fat before mixing and stuffing, too, perhaps bad idea.

Thoughts on "crumbly"/"dry"?

I'm trying to stay close to tradition before doing any variation. That tradition comes from making sausages for meat preservation, and the Poles at meatandsausages.com say cold smoking with sausage is intended to dry them out. EU/Slovenian certification requires nothing other than pork, garlic, salt, water, and pepper - no "binder." Maybe this is the "traditional" result?

crazymoon · Apr 5, 2017

WP8, Your sausage looks great! I know sausage can be crumbly if not thoroughly mixed to create the myosin proteins for binding ??

webpoppy8 · Apr 7, 2017

@CrazyMoon teach me the ways of myosin! I think I only mixed this one a couple of minutes. Is there a specific way to mix, or should I always be kneading it for like 15 minutes, or what?

Thank you!

- Andrew/WP8

DanMcG · Apr 8, 2017

Look good Andrew, You need to mix until the meat paste is very sticky.
Myosin is a water soluble protein that when mixed with salt will encapsulate the fat particles and keep them from separating in the mix.

Crumbly or dry could mean your fat got to warm and smeared while stuffing or not enough mixing to bind the fat. was there melted fat under the skin after cooking?
HTH

webpoppy8 · Apr 8, 2017

I think it was a combination of

did not mix the meat mixture up enough
didn't keep meat (and everything) cool
fat smear (which I think I understand...)
using wine in the liquid used to mix with the meat

My wife thinks the first (hot smoked two days, way overdone) batch had a good texture, but I think it suffered the same texture. Obviously, we know who is right and who is wrong. Our 20yo, fine lad he is, professed that the first batch was great.

I think I'm going to rig up a cooling apparatus with ice and salt...

webpoppy8 · Apr 8, 2017

As promised...
[h1]WebPoppy8's Kranjska Klobase recipe rev 2 - cold smoked[/h1][h2]Ingredients:[/h2]
26 oz pork shoulder trimmed of fat
9 oz pork back fat
3 cloves garlic
2 oz white wine
2 oz water
0.08 oz freshly ground black pepper (1 tsp)
0.3 oz sea salt (1 tsp)
0.3 oz saltpeter (1/2 tsp)

8 oz pork sausage casings, diam 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches, ~60" length
Plain vinegar (cider or such)
[h2]Directions[/h2]
SMK = Time of starting to smoke the sausages

(SMK - 24 hr) Put garlic into sac of cheesecloth or regular cloth and crush. Put sac into wine and soak overnight (10-18 hours)

(SMK - 8 hr +) Cut pork shoulder and salt-pork fat into 3/8" or 1cm cubes, and grind with coarse plate

(SMK - 8 hr +)

Add pork and seasonings together with garlic wine/water mixture
Test-fry a small patty for taste test
Adjust seasoning as needed

(SMK - 7 hr +) Cover and refrigerate stuffing for 6 hours

(SMK - 7 hrs) Thoroughly! Rinse sausage casings, then soak sausage casings in 50/50 water/vinegar for 6+ hours

(SMK - 1 hr) Stuffing... with my newbie technique. Klobasa is traditionally smoked in looped pairs if I understand correctly, hence not doing the whole 'rope'

Fit 60" of casing on sausage-stuffer
Press stuffing to end of tube
Seal first end of casing with wooden spike
Stuff casing 6"-7" NO AIR POCKETS. Squeeze back and forth; pull casing back over tube to tighten at intervals.
After 6"-7" pinch end of stuffing and twist to seal one link
Stuff casing another 6"-7" and double twist to seal
Seal end of next sausages with another spike
Cut off first pair of links OUTSIDE new spike and seal twist with first spike
Resume stuffing...

(SMK - 20 minutes) Prepare smoker with beechwood (oak if needed) chips (chunks, pucks, pellets, whatever) at 70º F

(SMK == 0) Hang paired links in smoker

COLD Smoke for 2 to 3 days - 75˚

Remove and eat, fridge, or freeze. Not sure if I should rinse them...

DanMcG · Apr 8, 2017

Now that I see the recipe I should add that wine and vinegar are both acidic and will break down the bind and give you that dry crumbly texture
You're around 1% salt which is on the low side an additonal 1/2 t wouldn't hurt.....unless you want it low for health reasons or something.

Great detail on the write up, you'll nail it next time

webpoppy8 · Apr 8, 2017

Thanks @DanMcG - I figured vinegar would make the casings more flexible. Do you think rinsing the casings thoroughly in water after the half-vinegar soak would help with that? Also, I wonder about the wine.

DanMcG · Apr 8, 2017

My apologies Poppy, I saw vinegar, and didn't realize it was for soaking the casings.
I add a little baking soda to my soaking water, I thing it works better then the vinegar...Just my opinion.

crazymoon · Apr 8, 2017

WP8, Check out this post from Boyko about casings,it's very helpful. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/159729/how-to-handle-natural-casings

dblejec68 · Dec 24, 2020

webpoppy8 said:
I've been cold smoking these for about 50 hours and they look pretty good.

Had a few logistical problems that had me putting the last links in 16 hours after the first.

The first links are small but OK - I just didn't stuff them enough. These also may have had a half hour of hot smoking due to setting the smoker incorrectly.

This morning the first batch had that authentic (I think...!) slightly dry skin with a little bit of excreted powder (salt?). I remember buying some in Cleveland that were like that. @jfsjazz, @dirtworldmike whaddya think?

I hung them in pairs with both ends together, which I thought was the tradition. However, as I checked them this morning, I saw where the links touched at each end was (d'oh!) untouched by the smoke and looks pale and raw. So I've opened them up on the grates and I'll smoke them a few hours more. I suppose the pale spots don't actually mean any problem, any thoughts?

I have the smoker (MasterBuilt electric 30" with cold smoker attachment) set for 75˚.

Started with Beechwood but ran out and used Oak for last 24 hours.

Here's this morning's photo:

2017-04-04_08.26.40.JPG

webpoppy8

Apr 4, 2017

Here's how it was after the last links went in:

2017-04-02_19.32.10.JPG

webpoppy8

Apr 4, 2017

Hi, I have a question, after smoking the “ Kranjska Klobasa “, do you pasteurize it to a certain internal temperature of the meat? Have you tried drying them out to use them as dries sausage?

Kranjska Klobasa (Slovenian Sausage) - I think I've got it pretty close!

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